*Employment Third Preference Other Workers Category: Section 203(e) of the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997, as amended by Section 1(e) of Pub. L. 105-139, provides that once the Employment Third Preference Other Worker (EW) cut-off date has reached the priority date of the latest EW petition approved prior to November 19, 1997, the 10,000 EW numbers available for a fiscal year are to be reduced by up to 5,000 annually beginning in the following fiscal year. This reduction is to be made for as long as necessary to offset adjustments under the NACARA program. Since the EW final action date reached November 19, 1997 during Fiscal Year 2001, the reduction in the EW annual limit to 5,000 began in Fiscal Year 2002. For Fiscal Year 2025 this reduction will be limited to approximately 150.
B. DATES FOR FILING OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA APPLICATIONS
The chart below reflects dates for filing visa applications within a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date
earlier than the application date in the chart may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions. The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa. If a category is designated “current,” all applicants in the relevant category may file, regardless of priority date.
The “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and that applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date which is
earlier than the listed date may file their application.
Visit
www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for information on whether USCIS has determined that this chart can be used (in lieu of the chart in paragraph 5.A.) this month for filing applications for adjustment of status with USCIS.
| Employment-
based |
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed |
CHINA-
mainland
born |
INDIA |
MEXICO |
PHILIPPINES |
| 1st |
C |
01JAN23 |
15APR22 |
C |
C |
| 2nd |
01AUG23 |
01OCT20 |
01JAN13 |
01AUG23 |
01AUG23 |
| 3rd |
01MAR23 |
15NOV20 |
08JUN13 |
01MAR23 |
01MAR23 |
| Other Workers |
22MAY21 |
01JAN18 |
08JUN13 |
22MAY21 |
22MAY21 |
| 4th |
01FEB21 |
01FEB21 |
01FEB21 |
01FEB21 |
01FEB21 |
| Certain Religious Workers |
01FEB21 |
01FEB21 |
01FEB21 |
01FEB21 |
01FEB21 |
| 5th Unreserved
(including C5, T5, I5, R5) |
C |
01OCT16 |
01APR22 |
C |
C |
| 5th Set Aside:
(Rural: NR, RR - 20%) |
C |
C |
C |
C |
C |
| 5th Set Aside:
(High Unemployment: NH, RH - 10%) |
C |
C |
C |
C |
C |
| 5th Set Aside:
(Infrastructure: RI - 2%) |
C |
C |
C |
C |
C |
B.
DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH
Section 203(c) of the INA provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit additional immigration opportunities for persons from countries with low admissions during the previous five years. The NACARA stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program. Visa numbers made available to NACARA applicants in FY 2024 will result in reduction of the DV-2025 annual limit to approximately 54,850. Section 5104 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024 amended the NACARA’s provisions on the DV program such that the number of visas made available under the NDAA each fiscal year will be deducted from the 55,000 DVs annually allocated. These amendments will further reduce the DV-2025 annual limit to approximately 52,000. DVs are divided among six geographic regions. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.
For
March, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2025 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers
BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:
| Region |
All DV Chargeability Areas Except
Those Listed Separately |
|
| AFRICA |
25,000 |
Except: Algeria 24,500
Egypt 23,000
Morocco 22,000 |
| ASIA |
6,000 |
Except: Iran 5,400
Nepal 4,500 |
| EUROPE |
13,000 |
Except: Russia 12,950
Uzbekistan 7,750 |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) |
20 |
|
| OCEANIA |
1,125 |
|
| SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN |
1,800 |
|
Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal (visa) year for which the applicant is selected in the lottery. The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2025 program ends as of September 30, 2025. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2025 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2025 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2025. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2025 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.
C. THE DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN APRIL
For
April, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2025 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers
BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:
| Region |
All DV Chargeability Areas Except
Those Listed Separately |
|
| AFRICA |
30,000 |
Except: Algeria 29,950
Egypt 27,950
Morocco 27,950 |
| ASIA |
6,000 |
Except: Iran 5,950
Nepal 5,950 |
| EUROPE |
16,000 |
Except: Russia 15,950
Uzbekistan 7,750 |
| NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) |
20 |
|
| OCEANIA |
1,500 |
|
| SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN |
2,200 |
|
D. RETROGRESSION IN THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED FOURTH PREFERENCE (EB-4) CATEGORY
Due to high demand and number use throughout the first half of the fiscal year, it has become necessary to retrogress the final action date in the EB-4/SR categories for the month of March to keep issuances within the annual limit. Further, it may be necessary to make the category “Unavailable” in the coming months, possibly as soon as April. Note that the quarterly limits established in INA 201(a)(2) apply to the overall employment-based limit, and thus a specific category may become unavailable prior to the end of a fiscal year if demand and issuance rates for that category would otherwise exceed its annual limit. The situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments made accordingly. In the event that the category becomes “Unavailable,” EB-4/SR visa numbers will be available on October 1 with the start of FY-2026.
E. SCHEDULED EXPIRATION OF THE EMPLOYMENT FOURTH PREFERENCE RELIGIOUS WORKERS (SR) CATEGORY
H.R. 10545, signed on December 21, 2024, extended the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) category until March 14, 2025. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight March 13, 2025. Visas issued prior to that date will be valid only until March 13, 2025, and all individuals seeking admission in the non-minister special immigrant category must be admitted (repeat, admitted) into the United States no later than midnight March 13, 2025.
The SR category is available and subject to the same final action dates as the other Employment Fourth Preference categories per applicable foreign state of chargeability for March. In the event there is no legislative action extending the category beyond March 14, 2025, the category will immediately become “Unavailable” as of March 14, 2025. In the event there is legislative action extending the category beyond March 14, the published dates will continue to be in effect for the remainder of March.
F. U.S. GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS (SIVs)
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, signed into law on December 22, 2023, may affect certain current and former employees of the U.S. Government abroad, as well as certain surviving spouses and children of deceased employees of the U.S. government abroad, applying for SIVs or adjustment of status, as described in section 101(a)(27)(D) of the INA. This does not affect certain Iraqis and Afghans applying for SQ and SI SIVs. Applicants should contact the consular section at which they filed their Form DS‑1884 for further information on the impact of that law on their case.
G. FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON VISA PROCESSING AT U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES, PLEASE VISIT THE BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT TRAVEL.STATE.GOV
Department of State Publication 9514
CA/VO: February 3, 2025
